Reposting other users' posts can not only help your business build new connections, but also help you find and share fresh and resourceful content to keep your followers engaged. There are other good reasons to Repost-- explicitly complimenting and crediting the author of the original content can get them interested in building partnerships with your business as well as help you reach new leads.
Before you start reposting, though, here's something to bear in mind: Instagram's Terms of Use forbid the violation of an individual's intellectual property rights. They've clearly stated that they respect other people's rights and expect you to do the same.
1. Always ask for permission
When reposting on Instagram, it's best practice to ask for permission before sharing. You can seek the permission from the original author by following these steps:
- Make sure you've downloaded the Instagram app on your device if you're reposting from the Zoho Social mobile app.
- Click View on Instagram that appears on the post from the Hashtag Search column from your Monitor dashboard.
You can choose to reach out to the author on Instagram and seek permission by:
- Sending them a Direct message on Instagram (If you send a DM to someone who doesn't follow you, it will appear as a request in their inbox)
- Posting Comments on their post
- Reaching out over email — some accounts list their email addresses in their bio
We recommend you to share your thoughts about the post, and let the author know why you would like to repost it!
2. Try not to edit the post
It's best to retain the authenticity of the content and repost the post in its original form. Avoid making any changes or edits to the original post. If for some reason you need to make changes, we recommend seeking permission from the author before you do so.
3. Credit away
Give proper recognition and credit to the original source. Simply tagging the user in your post does not do justice to their work of art. Also, remember to respect other people's privacy and ask permission before you tag them.
Here are some formats that you can use in your captions to credit the original authors:
- Credits: @username
- Photo credits: @username
- Image created by: @username
- Image captured by: @username
- by: @username
- Thanks for sharing, @username
- Love this post by @username
Also, keep in mind that Instagram captions display only the first three lines of text unless you click on the button to read more. Try to credit the source within those lines where it will be easily visible.
Happy reposting!